Map

South Lawson Park bushcare site

  • The bushcare site is located in Lawson, Blue Mountains, NSW, on public land managed by Blue Mountains City Council.
  • The site commences 400 metres to the south-east of Lawson shopping centre, and extends over the upper catchment of Lawson Creek.
  • It is approximately bounded by Waratah Street to the north and Junction Falls, Lawson Creek, in the south.
  • The site is focused on Lawson Creek and its tributaries, riparian zone, swamps and adjoining  woodlands.
  • The site is home to at least 60 species of Australian indigenous fauna, and is vegetated by at least 70 species of Australian indigenous flora.

A great way to become familiar with the site is to view our eight minute film, Bushcare Blue Mountains: South Lawson Park:  https://vimeo.com/verahong/south-lawson-bushcare . Many thanks to Vera and Craig at Seconds Minutes Hours Productions for their wonderful cinematography.

Our work area is focused around Lawson Creek
Our work area is focused around Lawson Creek Photo: BMCC

South Lawson Park

Much of the bushcare site is located within South Lawson Park, a public recreation reserve. These are the traditional lands of the Gundungurra First Nations community, and are subject to an Indigenous Land Use Agreement.

Living on Country South Lawson Parklands Photo: P Ardill February 2024
Living on Country South Lawson Parklands Photo: P Ardill February 2024

The park was set aside as a reserve in 1876, and dedicated as a park in 1887. Local settler, Joseph Hay arranged for the park’s dedication (Reference: Brian Cox, ‘Blue Mountains Geographical Dictionary’ 2006).

Climate

The altitude of Lawson is 700 metres and average annual rainfall is approximately 1250mm, with summer and autumn being the wettest months (Bureau of Meteorology). Temperature ranges are mild. However, due to the impacts of global warming and climate change, average regional temperatures are steadily increasing.

Adverse impacts

Degrading impacts adversely effect the catchment.

  • Maintenance of essential infrastructure and the construction of unauthorised paths or bike tracks can degrade bushland. These activities allow weeds to become established in affected areas. Intact and healthy bushland tends to repel weed infestation.
  • Unmanaged stormwater flows
  • Rubbish dumping
  • Feral animals e.g. foxes, feral cats. Future spread of deer, pigs and feral dogs is a concern.
  • Unsupervised domestic animals: dogs, cats
  • Pollutants
  • Climate change. The frequency of extremely hot summer days and consecutive runs of hot days is increasing. The severe 2018-2020 drought resulted in very low water flows in Lawson Creek, reducing oxygen levels and impairing macroinvertebrate habitat. Long dry periods restrict natural regeneration of indigenous plants and stress indigenous animals. The severe 2019-20 bushfires killed millions of native animals in the Erskine Creek catchment, and also destroyed essential native animal habitat.

………..

(The South Lawson Park Bushcare Group website, including text and analysis, is managed by Peter Ardill. Australian Copyright Act 1968 applies. Text, media and all other contents of this site are subject to copyright. Many thanks to the members of South Lawson Park Bushcare Group, BMCC Bushcare Officer and Second Minutes Hours Productions for their contribution of images to this website)